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Transitions 534
Hour 1: John Digweed
01. Weval - One [Kompakt | KOM 318]
02. Weval - Easier [Kompakt | KOM 318]
03. Elliott Power - On The Windrush (UNKLE Reconstruction) [Marathon Artists Limited | MA0036DB]
04. Iron Galaxy - Came and Went [Born Electric | BE007D]
05. Villanova - AR 2 (Roomba Rose EP) [My Favorite Robot Records | MFR114]
06. Philip Bader - Circus (Feel So Good EP) [Saved Records | SAVED113]
07. Booka Shade - Mandarine Girl (Eagles & Bookaflies Remix) [Get Physical Music | Promo]
08. Dusky - Yoohoo [Dusky Music | 17STEPS002]
09. Vince Watson - Illusion (Wink Re-think) (Deja Vu EP) [Ovum Recordings OVM-250]
10. Him_Self_Her - Don't Fail Me Now feat. Calder (dubspeeka Remix) [Suara | SUARA156]
Downloads:
Hour 1 >> John Digweed Transitions 534 Studio Mix
Hour 2 >> John Digweed Live in Athens
Release Notes:
01. Weval - One [Kompakt | KOM 318]
02. Weval - Easier [Kompakt | KOM 318]
Hearing WEVAL's music for the very first time, you might wonder from what geniuses' vault of vintage milestones these sounds have been pulled: the Dutch duo's incredibly catchy arrangements seem perfused by a rarefied pop magic that only a chosen few have truly mastered. Surely, this must be the work of a well- established veteran – or two youngsters so massively talented that it borders on the obscene. Weval's EASIER EP is here to demonstrate that it wasn't an accident, either - with four epic cuts that will haunt you long after you've left the floor.
The 2013 debut "Half Age EP" from Dutch newcomers Harm Coolen and Merijn Scholte Albers aka WEVAL struck a perfect balance between ingenuous simplicity and warm melodies: a rare moment of rapture and certainly one of those records that you wish you would've released yourself – which is probably why we smuggled an exclusive Weval track onto the tracklist of our much-acclaimed "Total 14" compilation (KOMPAKT 310 CD 11
. There, the duo's dreamy, yet dynamic variant of slow-burning, sweeping house held up more than well with the other high caliber names present on the record - leading us directly to the phenomenal outing at hand.With its glistening melodies and rousing beats, WEVAL's EASIER EP displays a staggering sense for danceable drama - spread over four expertly crafted tracks that will speak to your hearts and feet through radiant synths, ardent vocal snippets and sublime melodies. From pawing opener GIMME SOME to synth power ballad ONE, the introspective THINKING OF and title anthem EASIER, this is a rather beautifully flowing listening experience, not at all betraying the slightly yeasty circumstances of its creation: "we made this EP in two totally different moods", the producers explain, "we were both totally in love with two different girls, but for both of us it didn't work out – and to be clear, this was not our choice."
However, the defeat led to a phase of high productivity and research: "we felt terrible but we had a new EP we could work on and spend days and days finding a new sound." A couple of months and gear updates later, "the winter was gone and surprisingly it all worked out with those girls." Suddenly flush with happy feelings, Harm and Merijn finally hit the stride and quickly wrapped up production – resulting in an impactful wealth of emotions permeating all four tracks: "you can almost hear these two different moods we were in – it gets from cool, euphoric to dramatic and intense at the end."
Coming on // November 24, 2014 (physical & digital)
Format // 12"
Catalog Nr // Kompakt 318
EAN // 880319097416
03. Elliott Power - On The Windrush (UNKLE Reconstruction) [Marathon Artists Limited | MA0036DB]
Elliott Power drifted onto our radar in May last year with his moody, trip hop-inflected Sink/Swim. Since then, Power's gone on to work with Tri Angle's WIFE on the song Portend, and line up his latest single, On The Windrush.
On The Windrush comes backed with a remix by James Lavelle, turning in an UNKLE reconstruction of Power's spectral song. Lavelle's remix seems to explore the same sort of territory as a band like Factory Floor - bubbling bass, clanging percussion, hypnotic repetition, disembodied vocals - but it moves into floatier, more euphoric, more UP! territories by its third act.
Keep your eyes peeled for Elliott Power's debut album, due next year. Read James Lavelle's guide to the 13 tracks that defined That's How It Is, the clubnight he ran with Gilles Peterson from the early '90s through to 2005.
04. Iron Galaxy - Came and Went [Born Electric | BE007D]
So celebrating two years of our label, Born Electric 007 is finally here, and it’s the second release for us by the insanely talented Iron Galaxy from Montreal. There is something to be said for the ‘authenticity’ in how these productions sound, having been created almost entirely from outboard, and in some cases, vintage gear. With that in mind it seemed wholly appropriate to employ the remix skills of fellow gear-heads, Serge & Tyrell from the acclaimed Clone records in Holland.“According to my computer, Serge and Tyrell’s ‘Touch The Sky’ is my most played record ever, I first played it for the birth of Born Electric at our Boiler Room launch so this release has come full circle with them now on board” James Zabiela.In keeping with the style of ‘Touch Sky’ they produced a killer acid house remix for us already finding early support from Paul Woolford, Eats Everything and Detroit Swindle.
Release Date : 17 November 2014
Montreal producer iron Galaxy (a.k.a. Adam Hodgins) is someone we've kept a close eye on since he issued his debut single, "Attention Seeker", back in 2012 (a record we deemed one of the best tracks of that particular year).
Having been somewhat quiet in 2014, word has now come that the native Canadian will release a new EP before the year is through. A former Bubblin' Up artist, Hodgins' next outing will find him returning to James Zabiela's Born Electric imprint, through which he released the Things We Lost Along the Way EP in 2013. The producer's forthcoming Came and Went EP will offer three new tracks which appear to continue finding Iron Galaxy crafting moody, R&B-striped house productions flushed with hardware tones. [Xlr8r]
05. Villanova - AR 2 (Roomba Rose EP) [My Favorite Robot Records | MFR114]
Young Parisian duo Villanova is the next to offer up a new EP of their original wares on My Favorite Robot Records with a feature from Canadian outfit Flowers & Sea Creatures.
Before now Villanova, who have backgrounds in jazz piano, and enjoy everything from Thelonius Monk to Larry Heard, have released their own material on My Favortie Robot Records as well as having remixed the likes of Agoria and NAOME for the Toronto imprint
The first cut here, ‘Roomba Rose’, is an ambitious number with plenty of drama and tension throughout. Full of spraying synths, jangling melodies and muttered vocals, it’s a cinematic affair that evokes a world of mental metropolitan imagery. An instrumental mix of the same track makes a bigger deal of the metallic 80s synth patterns and seems even more imposing as a result.
Next is ‘5 O’clock in the Morning feat. Flowers and Sea Creatures’, a Montreal pair that has released on Kompost and Buzzin’ Fly and always offer up carefully crafted and hugely cultured stuff. This serene, captivating track is much the same. It starts with ambient synths, pained vocals and lots of swirling ambiance before a gentle patter of drums join the fray from down below, slowly powering the epic track along. A spooky and trippy club mix sends just as many shivers down your spine and is just as unique a proposition, but is beat driven for extra DJ usability.
Lastly, ‘AR 2’ is a broody, dark and minimal track with clicking perc, eerie female whispers and beautiful vocals that will truly stun dancefloors. It’s a fine bit of work with lots of intricate synth patterns and tripped out tones that closes out what is a stunning EP.
06. Philip Bader - Circus (Feel So Good EP) [Saved Records | SAVED113]
A close-knit and much loved member of the Saved family, Philip Bader has always fostered a great relationship with the label through his ability to bring out his eccentric personality and party spirit in everything he does. Whether he’s releasing records for us or playing at one of our nights, Philip always brings an unmistakable energy and charisma that gets into the heart of everybody around him. The Berliner now returns to Saved with a three-track EP of peak-time, stonking techno that highlights everything we love about this great producer.
“Feel So Good” flies straight out of the traps with pounding 4/4s, deep swabs of bass and a grinding, driving groove. It’s hard-edged techno with a warehouse / industrial aesthetic, but made accessible and floor-friendly with a wildly addictive groove that runs throughout. “Terrazza’s House” continues in much the same vein, tapping into a dark, intense and energized sound. Snapping rhythms, chopped-up vocal FXs and a rolling bassline give the track a more spun-out feel but the focus still remains on the dancefloor.
“Circus” has a lighter feeling, its tumbling, tribal-like drums and swinging groove giving the track plenty of personality. Old-school vocals add a timeless quality to the tune, just as the fluid bassline adds the momentum. Insatiably groovy with an inherently funky feel, this is addictive stuff from one of our true friends.
Release Date : 24 November 2014
07. Booka Shade - Mandarine Girl (Eagles & Bookaflies Remix) [Get Physical Music | Promo]
Mandarine Girl was originally release on Get Physical Music in May 2005 [GPM 029] and remain a milestone for Booka Shade & Get Physical Label, also featuring on M.A.N.D.Y.s compilation 'Body Language Vol.1'.
Here eagles & Butterflies provides a remix.
08. Dusky - Yoohoo [Dusky Music | 17STEPS002]
Is there an app called Make An Essential New Tune? One where you rearrange elements, click a button and then—whoosh! There's Pete Tong's record of the week for your enjoyment. On the evidence of "Yoohoo," Dusky may already be beta-testing it. Heavy, crowd-pleasing kicks? Garagey snares? A familiar vocal loop (here culled from pop drum & bassers Kosheen)? It has them all. All it's missing is a dose of Italo piano to send the older listeners misty-eyed on the drive home—until that arrives, too. And yet for all the predictability in Dusky's latest offering, you can't help but warm to their never-ending quest to make anthem after anthem. They're like a rave version of the Brill Building songwriters.
Dusky toughen things up with the dark house of "Akebono." If you have a passing knowledge of sumo wrestling, then its title rather telegraphs its intentions. Like the legendary dump truck-sized American fighter of the same name, it hits the floor with an almighty thump, displaying the sort of enthusiastic regard for punishing, runaway beats that Underworld once dealt in. Such is its stripped back nature—a groaning synth line aside, there's little else to it—you'd be forgiven for thinking that the lead track was the work of a different artist altogether. [RA]
09. Vince Watson - Illusion (Wink Re-think) (Deja Vu EP) [Ovum Recordings OVM-250]
Vince Watson proudly presents preview's of his debut single on Josh Wink's Ovum Recordings. This release is a special one as it is the final act in Ovum's 20 year anniversary celebrations and is release no 250.
It will feature 2 beautifully laden deep techno tracks from Vince as well as a beatapella and a one off ambient mix. The release also features a very special Josh Wink remix.
The single will be released on December 1st 2014.
10. Him_Self_Her - Don't Fail Me Now feat. Calder (dubspeeka Remix) [Suara | SUARA156]
On November 24th the highly successful duo Him_Self_Her will make their highly anticipated debut on Suara. Their cut "Don't Fail Me Now" recalls sounds that will attract listeners from around the globe and boasts an alluring vocal line, from Calder, which slowly builds to an emotive peak. The Original track comes backed with two dancefloor-focused remixes from Dubspeeka and Sonny Fodera which pushes the release into overdrive! Ladies and gentleman, this is music with feelings.
Released by: Suara
Release/catalogue number: SUARA156
Release date: 24 November 2014
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